Run originally as a celebration of pre-war Bugattis, the Grover-Williams Trophy has a slightly broader remit bringing together a more varied grid of 1920s Grand Prix cars, while also celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Bugatti Type 35.
Named after William Grover-Williams, winner of the first ever Monaco Grand Prix in 1929 driving a Bugatti Type 35, this 20-minute race delivered some of the most beautiful sights of the 81st Members' Meeting, evoking that early period of grand prix racing graced by drivers including Louis Chiron, Tazio Nuvolari and Grover-Williams.
Fittingly, given that this was in essence a celebration of the Type 35's centenary, the front row of the grid was dominated by the model. Julian Majzub staked his claim to pole barely a second ahead of Duncan Pittaway in second place. Tim Dutton prevented an all-Type 35 front row by putting his Type 51 third on the grid. He, too, set a best lap within a second of the pole-sitter, as did fourth-placed Matt Walton in his Type 51. Such close qualifying times promised close racing. The first non-Bugatti occupies the fifth grid slot. That's the Frazer Nash Boulogne of Tim Crighton.